About Us
We know you have options when it comes to your dog. From choosing the right breeder to finding a trainer who can work with you and your dog to achieve your goals, we provide the comfort of a 40+ year history. Our team is handpicked for experience, compassion and knowledge. Our facility is designed with the comfort and health of our dogs and boarders in mind. We want you and your dog to succeed, and we will be with you every step of the way.
Our Team
At VWK we believe community is essential. When you take a puppy home, board your dog with us or take part in our training program, you become part of the VWK family. When you are a part of that family, you can expect:
- Exceptional care, dedication and lifetime support
- Open communication about your dog and their needs
- A staff that will treat you like family
Kate
Kate became the owner of VWK in 2017 after being a longtime client. Her goal is to maintain and improve the breeding program while expanding the boarding and training services offered. She takes home as many of the retired adults as she can and believes dogs should sleep on the bed and have cupcakes on their birthdays. She is certified in Infectious Disease Management to keep every dog as healthy as possible.
Zach
Zach has over 7 years of professional experience training dogs. He has worked at multiple facilities during this time, successfully working with all breed types ranging from the smallest Pomeranian to a Cane Corso. Prior to coming to VWK he worked at a facility focused on working with behavior modification and aggressive dogs. Outside of work Zach has 5 GSDs and often can be found on different hiking trails around the PNW with at least 1 of his dogs.
Zach
Zach has over 8 years of professional experience training dogs. He has worked at multiple facilities during this time, successfully working with all breed types ranging from the smallest Pomeranian to a Cane Corso. Prior to coming to VWK he worked at a facility focused on working with behavior modification and aggressive dogs. Outside of work Zach has 8 GSDs, a deep interest in cartography and the history of the Pacific Northwest, and often can be found on different hiking trails around the PNW with at least 1 of his dogs.
Kate
Kate became the owner of VWK in 2017 after being a longtime client. Her goal is to maintain and improve the breeding program while expanding the boarding and training services offered. She takes home as many of the retired adults as she can and believes dogs should sleep on the bed and have cupcakes on their birthdays. She is certified in Infectious Disease Management to keep every dog as healthy as possible.
Arianna
Arianna quickly became an integral part of VWK. She treats our dogs like her own and has taken several of them home when they retired. Arianna socializes and cares for our puppies, is there when most of them are born and helps interview potential clients and match them to their perfect puppy. In her spare time, she works with her pup Temper, who she held the moment he was born. Outside of work, Ari enjoys food festivals, cooking, musical theater and movies.
Connor
Connor is a certified Master Dog Trainer and trained his first dog when he was twelve. Connor understands and can apply multiple training methodologies to obedience, sports and behavior modification. He spent 3 years working at a facility working specializing in difficult behavior management cases. At VWK, he is the bright light in our day and the person we turn to when we need help. At home, he volunteers with a program that places foster dogs and wrestles with his Border Collie/Aussie Felix.
Danny
Danny came to VWK looking for a place his skills as a dog trainer and handler would be appreciated. With ten years of training experience and his background working as a decoy for protection dogs, Danny fit right in and filled a hole we didn’t know was there. He quickly became a valuable member of the training team and someone we could rely on when we need extra help. In his off time, Danny is a fan of the Friday the 13th movies and always has his Malinois Gamora by his side.
Wes
We met Wes when he took home his puppy, Emmy. Over time, he transitioned from client to a member of the training team. With his background training marine mammals, Wes brings a valuable perspective on animal behavior as well as a lot of fun stories about his time training dolphins and sea lions, proving he is a naturally gifted animal handler. According to Wes, training a dog is a lot like training a dolphin…just with less chance of getting soaked.
Aubree
We recruited Aubree when she volunteered and hung out with us when Connor was at work. Besides being a kind and organized person, she quickly became the glue that holds our team together. She excels in customer and office management, but has a soft spot for puppy care. Our clients and dogs all love her. Best of all, she gave a home to our kennel mascot Cricket (who became best friends with Aubree’s Pitty, Baloo).
Annika
Annika joined VWK as a member of our boarding team but quickly proved she was far more than a dog walker. Annika helps design and manage our puppy development program and is responsible for many of the adorable photos of our babies. Fluent in German, Annika also ensures every litter has a pup with a fun German name. When not at work, she is often out hiking with her Retreiver mix Libby and her favorite kennel dog, Oma.
Esme
When we were looking for a new team member, Esme was not only the best candidate for the job, she was also the person we all instantly clicked with. By the end of her first week, she was an indispensable member of the team. She is naturally good with dogs of all breeds and ages and ensures our kennel dogs and puppies are well cared for, especially her favorite – Quabs. At home, she is the proud mom of a Golden, a Rottweiler, and energetic Border Collie/Aussie mix.
Barbara
Barbara joined VWK as our agility instructor. She has previously represented the USA in agility competitions around the world winning multiple world championships! Barbara is a lover of all dogs and all dog sports! She pushes her clients to be the best they can and can always be counted on to bring a smile to your face. On her free time you can bet she is either at a competition or training for one!
Sandra
Johnny
Johnny joined VWK as a member of our boarding team as well as general kennel help. His background comes from previously working at multiple doggy day care and boarding kennels in the area. Additionally, he worked in Alaska at a sled dog facility as a musher. In his free time Johnny is always hiking or fishing!